Jarvis Jones

Right now he is one of my choices with one of the two first RD picks we have. Him and JL could do some real damage.

UGA sports blog
Georgia’s Jarvis Jones ‘may be the best defensive player in America’

1:37 am September 9, 2012, by Chip Towers

By D. Orlando Ledbetter
Staff Writer

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Georgia all-American linebacker Jarvis Jones, playing with a sore groin, came up with two big plays to help the Bulldogs rout Missouri in their first game in Southeastern Conference play.

Jones helped to blow the game open with an interception and a sack in the fourth quarter that led to 14 points in the 41-20 victory on Saturday. He finished with 8 tackles, one sack, a forced fumble and an interception.

The Bulldogs held a 27-20 lead with under nine minutes to play when Jones intercepted a pass at Missouri’s 22 and rumbled down to the 1-yard line. It was the first interception of his career

On the ensuing play, running back Todd Gurley scored a touchdown.

On Missouri’s next possession, Jones sacked Missouri quarterback James Franklin and caused a fumble. Jordan Jenkins recovered the ball at Missouri’s 5-yard line.

Three plays later, Ken Malcome scored on a 6-yard touchdown run.

“He may be the best defensive player in American,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said.

The Bulldogs were not sure how much Jones would be able to play against the Tigers.

“I’ll be honest with you, he strained his groin in the middle of the week and he couldn’t really move around very good by Wednesday,” Richt said. “We were just hoping that he’d be able to go. It was bothering him the whole game.

“It’s hard to believe that, but he sucked it up and played the whole time. He made the very big plays when we needed them the most.”

Jones did not think about not playing in the team’s SEC opener.

“A lot of guys out there look up to me,” Jones said. “I just had to go the extra mile. I have to push myself and push them so that we can be so much better.”

Jones was startled that Franklin threw the ball to him. He was spying on the quarterback and wasn’t supposed to drop into coverage. But once he realized that Franklin was not going to run, his instincts took over.

“I read the quarterback’s eyes and he threw it straight to me,” Jones said.

“He can do multiple things,” Grantham said. “We can move him around so that they can’t get a bead on him. You are just trying to get him in one-on-one matchups and when you do that, he makes plays.”

On the sack-strip, Jones beat his man and made the big play.

“He’s a pretty explosive guy,” Grantham said. “The position that he plays is going to allow him to make some plays. The kid works hard and prepares. He’s really smart and instinctive.”

The Bulldogs were trailing 17-9, but with the aid of some timely passing and Jones’ big plays, they went on to outscore the Tigers 32-3 over the finals 26 minutes of action.

“We just went out there and played until the end of the game,” Jones said. “The game is four quarters. Mizzou had their big plays. They threw their punches, but you have to play the whole game.”

Jones’ big plays helped out the offense that sputtered at times against the Tigers.

“He’s spectacular,” quarterback Aaron Murray said. “There is no one in the country who can block him. He’s just an unbelievable player. … There is no way to describe how hard he works and what kind of player that he is.”

Jones also drew some inspiration from the pundits.

“ESPN picked us to get upset,” Jones said. “No matter what people say, at the end of the day we have to get out on the field. They’ve got to walk out on the field. We have to walk out on the field. Football is a man’s game. At the end of the day, it’s a man’s game.”

Jones didn’t want to take any shots at the Tigers defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, who said Georgia played “old man” football.

“They understand now,” Jones said. “We don’t have to send no message. We won. But let’s not take anything away from them; they are a good ball club. They play hard. They are a well-organized program, but this is SEC football.”

Re: Jarvis Jones

As a linebacker, my current feeling is Jones would be a great fit in a 3-4 and questionable fit in a 4-3. I'd like to watch him more in coverage this season to see if that opinion changes.

I would tend to agree that he's more suited for a 3-4, which is why I have Manti Te'o as my top LB. While he plays ILB in a 3-4, I think he has the skills to pretty much play any LB position in any set. At the risk of hyperbole, I think Te'o is the best all-around LB prospect since Patrick Willis.

Re: Jarvis Jones

Taking another look, you guys both have a point he may be a better fit in a 3-4 but he may still be great in a 4-3. He just makes plays and takes over games. If the Skins keep losing, and we we a shot at him hard to pass on this guy.

For the second time this season and third time in his career, Georgia junior outside linebacker Jarvis Jones has been named the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA)/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week.

Jones, a 6-3, 241-pound native of Columbus, exploded for a career-high 13 tackles (12 solo), including 4.5 tackles for loss for 24 yards and three sacks, to go along with two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in the 17-9 upset of #3 Florida.

Jones is the NCAA FBS active leader with an average of 1.1 sacks per game as he has tallied 22 in 20 games over his two seasons with the Bulldogs. He has managed seven of those sacks against the Gators during the last two years. Jones also leads the nation in tackles for loss (2.33/game) and is second nationally in sacks (1.42/game) this season.

While also earning Player of the Week honors from Nagurski, Walter Camp, Lott IMPACT and the SEC after his performance at Missouri earlier this season, Jones first garnered the honors after the 2011 Florida game.

Jones, a 2011 FWAA All-American, is on the 2012 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. Five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy will be announced by the FWAA on Nov. 15. The winner will be revealed on Dec. 3 during a banquet that the Charlotte Touchdown Club sponsors at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,200 men and women who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.

Re: Jarvis Jones

Originally Posted by Rambos

Taking another look, you guys both have a point he may be a better fit in a 3-4 but he may still be great in a 4-3. He just makes plays and takes over games. If the Skins keep losing, and we we a shot at him hard to pass on this guy.

For the second time this season and third time in his career, Georgia junior outside linebacker Jarvis Jones has been named the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA)/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week.

Jones, a 6-3, 241-pound native of Columbus, exploded for a career-high 13 tackles (12 solo), including 4.5 tackles for loss for 24 yards and three sacks, to go along with two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in the 17-9 upset of #3 Florida.

Jones is the NCAA FBS active leader with an average of 1.1 sacks per game as he has tallied 22 in 20 games over his two seasons with the Bulldogs. He has managed seven of those sacks against the Gators during the last two years. Jones also leads the nation in tackles for loss (2.33/game) and is second nationally in sacks (1.42/game) this season.

While also earning Player of the Week honors from Nagurski, Walter Camp, Lott IMPACT and the SEC after his performance at Missouri earlier this season, Jones first garnered the honors after the 2011 Florida game.

Jones, a 2011 FWAA All-American, is on the 2012 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. Five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy will be announced by the FWAA on Nov. 15. The winner will be revealed on Dec. 3 during a banquet that the Charlotte Touchdown Club sponsors at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,200 men and women who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.

Rambos,

I'm wondering if Mr. Jones may turn out to be a lot like Von Miller. Denver runs a 4 -3 also and yet this guy makes play after play and is a terror as a pass rusher.

I remember when Denver took him with a top 5 pick and thought they made a mistake because of the 4 - 3 base defense that John Fox likes to play. However, after he won the DROTY award I have been reconsidering my opinion.

Basically it comes down to this: I am not in favor of drafting an OLB in the first round UNLESS he is a tremendous pass rusher (Miller has shown the value a player like him can bring). This is how I am looking at it at this point.

Re: Jarvis Jones

I'm wondering if Mr. Jones may turn out to be a lot like Von Miller. Denver runs a 4 -3 also and yet this guy makes play after play and is a terror as a pass rusher.

I remember when Denver took him with a top 5 pick and thought they made a mistake because of the 4 - 3 base defense that John Fox likes to play. However, after he won the DROTY award I have been reconsidering my opinion.

Basically it comes down to this: I am not in favor of drafting an OLB in the first round UNLESS he is a tremendous pass rusher (Miller has shown the value a player like him can bring). This is how I am looking at it at this point.

WHAT SAY YE?

I agree with you. There are times we come out with three down linemen and bring in the extra DB, Safety. I think he could play SLB and we could also have some looks where he is the forth LB on the field and move him all over the line cause mismatches and problems. It would be nice to have a guy like Clay Matthews, where the other team needs to find him on every down.

Re: Jarvis Jones

Are you kidding? If we get a shot at this guy it would be awesome. The SEC is the best conference in college football and he is one of the most dominate players..... He would be a steal if we get him between the 5th and 10th pick of the first round.